What Exactly Is a Rick of Wood?
Ask ten people in ten states and you might get ten slightly different answers. In the simplest terms, a rick of wood is a common way woodcutters and homeowners describe a tidy stack of firewood that’s been cut to a consistent length and stacked for sale or storage. Most people use “rick” interchangeably with “face cord,” but regional differences and assumptions about wood length can make that shorthand misleading if you’re buying wood for the winter.
Typical Dimensions and Why They Vary
There isn’t a single, universally enforced dimension for a rick. That said, the most commonly quoted dimensions in the United States are:
- Height: 4 feet
- Length: 8 feet
- Depth (wood length): often 16 inches
When someone says “a rick of wood,” they usually mean a stack 4 feet high by 8 feet long with wood cut to the depth they expect — commonly 16 inches. That dimension (4′ × 8′ × 16″) is effectively one face cord. But a rick can be 3 feet high in some regions, or the depth (wood length) can be 12″, 18″, 20″ or 24″. Always confirm the wood length when buying.
Face Cord vs Full Cord — Where the Numbers Come From
A full cord is a legal standard for firewood volume and equals 4 feet high × 4 feet deep × 8 feet long, totaling 128 cubic feet. A face cord generally refers to a single-face stack 4 feet high × 8 feet long but with whatever wood length you choose as the depth. If the wood is 16 inches (1.333 feet) long, a face cord = 4 × 8 × 1.333 = 42.67 cubic feet, roughly one-third of a full cord.
Helpful Conversions and Quick Math
When comparing offers or figuring out how much to buy, here are helpful conversions:
- Full cord: 128 cubic feet
- Face cord with 16″ wood: about 42.67 cubic feet (≈ 1/3 cord)
- Face cord with 18″ wood: 48 cubic feet (≈ 0.375 cord)
- Face cord with 24″ wood: 64 cubic feet (≈ 0.5 cord)
To calculate your own: multiply height (ft) × length (ft) × depth (ft). If the seller gives depth in inches, divide by 12 to get feet.
Practical Considerations When Buying a Rick
Here are the things I always check before handing over cash at the first cold snap:
- Ask the seller for the wood length in inches — that tells you the true volume of the stack.
- Confirm whether they mean a face cord or a full cord. Some sellers call a face cord a “rick” and assume you know the wood length.
- Look at how tightly the wood is stacked. Large gaps mean less wood by volume and more air.
- Know the wood species. Dense hardwoods like oak weigh and burn longer than softwoods like pine, so volume isn’t everything.
How I Measure a Rick in the Yard
I measure three things: height, length, and average depth. I use a tape measure and get several depth readings across the stack because wood stacks aren’t perfectly uniform. Multiply the three dimensions, convert any inches to feet, and you have cubic feet. Divide by 128 to get cords.
“Never assume a rick is a fixed, legal measure — it’s shorthand that varies. Measure and ask questions.” — from my years stacking and selling firewood
Stacking, Air Space, and Actual Wood Volume
One thing most folks don’t realize until they stack wood themselves: a cord’s cubic feet includes a lot of air. A neatly stacked full cord of split wood contains roughly 60 to 85 cubic feet of actual wood, the rest being air spaces between rounds and splits. So even if a seller offers a “full cord,” drying, stacking method, and log irregularities affect how much burnable wood you actually get.
Common Regional Variations
Regional lingo matters. In parts of the Midwest and South, “rick” and “face cord” are used freely. In New England, people often stick to cords and fractions of cords. In rural areas, sellers may say “a rick is three feet high by eight feet long” — so always confirm.
Tips From My Experience
- Buy a little extra. I always buy a spare rick or half-rick to keep in reserve — cold nights come without warning.
- Stack off the ground and cover the top, not the sides, to let the wood breathe and finish seasoning.
- Ask for a delivery where the driver stacks the wood as you prefer — a poorly stacked “rick” can be hard to count and use.
- Compare prices by cubic foot or by cord equivalent, not just by “rick.” That keeps offers apples-to-apples.
Final Takeaway
A rick of wood most commonly refers to a face cord: typically 4 feet high by 8 feet long with the depth equal to the wood length, often 16 inches. But the term is informal and varies by region, wood length, and seller. Measure, ask questions, and convert to cords if you want to compare value. That extra 10 minutes of math will keep you warm and make sure you get the wood you expected.
